A Place in this World
by WitchyVampireGirl
Summary: Everyone has a destiny, for some, it will be out of this world. Written for FAGE 10: Reborn!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I'm baaaaaack! You're eyes are not deceiving you! I decided to participate in FAGE: 10 Reborn! This is a wonderful event where you write an anon story! This wonderful story is for my dear friend Annie or Everleigh Allen! Getting you was a dream come true! The prompts I used was supernatural and Edward goes on vacation and find a surprise.**

 **This is unbeta'ed (so sorry...)**

 **I really hope you like it Annie!**

EPOV

There was nothing but blue sky as far as I could see. The sky was brilliant, no clouds to mar the sight that stretched before me. My eyes continuously scanned not only the skies, but the navigational instruments before me. Content that I was still on course, I relaxed, enjoying being miles up in the air. It was up here that life seemed simpler. There was no hustle and bustle to get in the way. There were no competing desires and needs that I needed to balance. I finally felt like I could breathe.

I was singing to Fall Out Boy when there was an indication that something was not quite right. Engine warning lights were flashing. I turned off the music and turned my attention to figuring out if I needed to panic. I craned my neck to look out the windows to look at the engines. There was no smoke, so whatever was wrong had to be electronic. In a frantic rush, I ran through all the protocols, when nothing jumped out as the main issue, I sent a radio mayday.

As I listened for a reply to my distress signal, the brilliant blue of the sky was interrupted by thick cloud cover. It startled me as I hadn't seen it coming. I sent out another mayday as I strained to figure out where I was and what the hell was wrong with my plane. A loud noise alerted me to the fact that my problems just got worse.

The plane listed to the left and refused to correct back to level. My arms were straining with everything I had to level out. As I was fighting with the plane the clouds thinned dramatically and the horizon was filled with a large black mass. Praying that it was land, I labored to direct the plane towards it. For a moment the thought crossed my mind that maybe this was how it was supposed to end. After all, what did I have to live for?

But self-preservation kicked in and I managed to point the nose of the plane towards what I was hoping was land. When I spotted vegetation, I knew all I had to was bring the plane in at an angel that gave me a fighting change to survive a crash landing. The tops of the trees scratched at the belly of the plane, the noise bringing me a small flicker of relief. It was short lived as the rock face appeared out of nowhere.

"FUCK!" I screamed and threw all my weight to turn the plane in the vain hope I wouldn't crash nose first. My body jolted around as glass exploded and metal crunched. I hit my head on the control board and then the world went black.

I had no clue how much time had passed when I became aware of my surroundings. My eyes wouldn't open and my body was so sore that breathing nearly killed me. There was a fleeting thought that I should move, why I had no idea. So instead of giving into the thought, I surrendered once again the darkness.

I floated in and out of awareness several times, my eyes always remained closed, the effort to open them more than I wanted to expend. Various parts of my body registered in my conscious; my arms that felt warm, a soft touch on my face, the weight of something heavy on my legs. I could hear sounds, although they were soft and muddled. I wondered why I didn't fear the idea that I wasn't alone. The only answer that made sense was that the noises sounded so comforting.

When I was able to open my eyes for the first time, all I saw was trees, tall with huge leafy canopies that let only filtered light through. It was enough that it hurt my eyes, so I turned my head to the side. My nose smelled the fire before I saw it. It was situated away from me, enough to see it but not feel its warmth. Above it hung a small black pot. I looked to the other side of me, scanning the area for someone else. I knew there was no way I had done any of this, so the only logical conclusion was that someone found me and brought me here.

I tried to use my hands and arms to push me into a standing position, but they were wrapped in the strangest fabric I had ever seen. It looked thin and delicate with a faint shimmer. I tried to pull it off, but it was stronger than it appeared. I strained my eyes over the rest of my body. My chest was covered in what I would swear was moss and my legs were wrapped in the same strange fabric. My perusal of my body and surroundings exhausted me. Knowing moving wouldn't be wise, I relaxed into the ground. I closed my eyes, only wanting a moment to gather my strength, but sleep claimed me once more.

The next time I woke up, I could still smell the fire, but there was also the hint of something delicious. Glancing at the fire, I was shocked when there was someone tending to it. I must have made a noise of surprise, because whomever was at the fire, whipped their head in my direction. The fire silhouetted them, giving them no distinguishing features.

"Oh! You're awake. I was beginning to worry about you." It was a feminine voice, soft and gentle. It reminded me of the noises I had heard when I floated in and out of consciousness.

"Who are you? Where am I? What's wrong with me?" I tried to move again, but person rushed over to my side.

"Don't move, please. You have serious injuries. You need to rest."

The moment they came close, I was stunned speechless. It was a girl, a beautiful one. She was tiny, thin and waifish. Her long dark hair hung down to her ass, her skin shimmered in the diffused light, but it was her face that captivated me. Her face was oval and creamy, but looked as delicate as my grandma's china. Her eyes were a weird grey blue with full lips so red they looked just kissed. She touched my shoulder, a simple gesture asking me stay still.

When she removed her hand, my shoulder felt blazing hot and tingled all the way down to my fingers. I watched as she busied herself with fabric bandages. Every once in a while, she'd pause, mutter a few indecipherable words and then I would feel a comforting warmth.

"I've done the best that I can to help, but I think I'll have to find a healer to make sure I'm not causing further damage." Her voice was even more melodious than I had thought previously. It was so distracting that I almost didn't hear what she was saying.

"Wait? Healer? Do you mean doctor?"

She bit her lip as she turned her unusual eyes toward me. "Doctor? Oh, right, you're human. If that means healer, then yes."

While I understood each word individually, together they made no sense. My mind was so slow on the uptake that I couldn't gather any coherent thoughts. So, I settled for something simple.

"I don't understand. Where am I?"

 **A/N: That seems a good place to end the first chapter! Number 2 will come soon! Leave me your love!**

 **WVG**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Are you ready for more?**

 **ENJOY!**

Her penetrating eyes regarded me, I could almost see the gears in her mind working. With a deep sigh, she squared her body and turned to fully face me.

"I promise to tell you everything, but first, let me help you eat. Is that okay with you?"

It seemed a fair compromise, so I nodded my assent. Out of the blue, a wooden looking chair back looking thing appeared and together we got me situated so I could lean against it. I felt so bone tired with that little movement but knowing there would be food and answers, I pushed it aside. She came back with a small bowl filled with fragrant liquid. My stomach rumbled loudly and we both laughed.

"This broth will help you feel better. But you must drink it slowly. You haven't eaten in a while, your stomach will be sensitive."

She held a spoon to my lips, cautiously I sipped the broth. Flavors I had never tasted exploded on my tongue. Warmth seeped into my body and my stomach gurgled in appreciation of the nourishment. In a comforting silence, she fed me. I was so hungry that it outweighed my desire to have her start talking. Instead of pressing her, I watched her. Up close I could see how pale her skin was. The shimmering effect of her skin was even more mesmerizing that I had thought. My perusal of her was broken up by her clearing her throat.

"I think we should let your stomach rest for a bit." Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply. "I don't know what to say, something like this hasn't happen to me before."

"Why don't you start with telling me your name," I suggested.

"That's an easy place to start. I'm Ellaene." She flashed me a brilliant smile.

"I'm Edward. Nice to meet you and thank you for saving my life."

She blushed. "No need to thank me, Edward. It would be unimaginable for me to not render help when someone needed it." As she busied herself cleaning up my meal, I took the time once more to study her. She was tinier than I had first estimated. I figured I could span her waist with both my hands. However, what stuck out for me were her clothes. They looked unfamiliar to me. She was dressed in many layers; long loose dark grey pants than came down to her moccasin covered feet, a long dark green dress like tunic that came to mid-calf. Over that was several other shorter shirt-like garments. The vibe was a cross between _Lord of the Rings_ meets _The Walking Dead_. It was otherworldly and utilitarian at the same time.

After Ellaene packed away the dishes she took care of the fire which had died down a bit. I looked around my surroundings to discover what I had assumed was a normal forest, was just as odd as Ellaene. What I had thought were normal, run of the mill trees, turned out to be the strangest trees I had ever seen. The canopy was made of bright orange leaves, from which clusters of small purplish-pink round fruit hung.

"What the hell," I muttered. It was then that I realized that it was quiet, too quiet. There were no birds, no other animal sounds. _Where the hell am I?_

"How are you feeling, Edward?" she inquired as she fussed over my strange looking bandages.

"Really sore and tired." Suddenly it occurred to me I had no idea how long its been since the plane crash. "How long has it been since you found me?"

"Umm, four moons."

 _Four moons?_ Instead of saying that, I smiled and thanked her. Silence descended between us. There were so many questions floating in my head. Part of me wanted to demand answers, but there was an air of vulnerability that surrounded Ellaene. Her shoulders were hunched in a way that told me she was waiting for something to strike her.

With a deep sigh, she sat down next to me. "You asked before where you were…" she paused, her eyes shifted to the side like she could no longer look at me. Her hands fluttered nervously, twisting and bunching the ends of her shirt. I wanted to prod her into speaking, but my gut told me that whatever she had to say was difficult and I just needed to give her time.

"You're in Everlee," she whispered finally.

"Everlee? Where the hell is that?" My mind spun as it tried to picture where on a map this place would be.

She shrugged. "It's here, where it's always been."

"That's not helpful. What ocean is it in?"

"Ocean? I don't understand."

My mouth dropped open in astonishment. "OCEAN!? You know, Atlantic, Pacific…" As I spoke, she furrowed her brow at me in obvious confusion. Maybe I needed to try a different tactic. "What country is closest? The US, Australia, Canada?"

Her hand wringing grew. "I don't know those places. Everlee has always existed, here, where it's always been. We're surrounded by Waters of Ecape, Forest Veritas sustains us. Father Solis and Mother Luna watch over us, guide us."

I understood nothing she said. "I don't understand. Where am I?"

Ellaene looked up at the sky, her mouth moved but I heard no sound. When she was finished she looked at him, her eyes wide. "You're at a place where there are no other humans. You're in a land of magic."

 **A/N: ooohhhhh magic! Just an an FYI- Ellaene is pronunced: Ella-een. Are you still with me? Leave me love!**

 **WVG**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Ready to learn more?**

 **ENJOY!**

Her confession shocked me and exhausted her. We both looked at each other, disbelief and pain flitted across both our faces. Laughter bubbled in my throat, choking me. Magic? What was she smoking? Maybe I had hit my head harder than I thought and I was in a coma in some hospital having some very lucid dreams. That had to be the logical conclusion. Magic wasn't real.

Before I could even assemble my thoughts, she had a long wicked looking knife in her hand. Like a lightening strike, she nicked her finger, mumbled some words and drove her bleeding finger in the ground. Instantly there was a flash of brilliant blue light and when the light was gone, in front of Ellaene stood what I could only call a toddler sized adult.

"You called, witchling?" The creatures voice was feminine, high pitched like tinkling windchimes. It stood no more than three feet, with long raven back hair filled with dozens of tiny braids. Its dress was gauzy and shimmery. As incredible as it looked, it was nothing compared to the tiny fluttering wings that were on its back.

"I require healing assistance. I rendered aid of a lost traveler and I'm unable to heal all the injuries." Ellaene then bowed to the tiny creature.

"Oh! The witchling found a traveler?" Just then the creature turned its body toward me. Its eyes were bright, unnatural shade of green and its ears were slightly pointed. "You honored the code by your actions, witchling. The Divine Ones will bless you. I will heal this human traveler."

"Thank you, Alicena," intoned Ellaene with reverence. With a snap of Aliena's fingers, all my bandages were gone. I was littered with scabbed over minor cuts and bruises. The most startling of all were the oozing wounds and the obvious fractures of my legs.

Before I could blink, the creature placed their small hands on my face, leaned down and breathed into my mouth which had been gaping in shock. Glittery particles swirled like dust and when my body demanded that I inhaled, they rushed into my body. Instantaneous heat filled my body, my muscles relaxed at its comforting warmth. It lasted only a few seconds before points of pain broke out across my body.

Several spots on my arms tingled and itched. With my own two eyes, I watched as bones shifted in my legs and skin was fused back together. Bruises disappeared, cuts healed, and wounds closed leaving perfectly unmarred skin. Not a single scar or speck of blood remined.

"It's been healed, witchling." As if it could no longer be bothered with me, Alicena turned her back on me and regarded Ellaene thoughtfully. "Its no accident that you discovered the human. He is part of the journey and destiny that you seek."

Ellaene paled. "A human? How? Why?"

Alicena smiled. "The Divine Ones do not always reveal their reasons. But as I healed him, I sensed he has a purpose and that you two are tied together. As is our custom, you should bring him to the Guardians." Alicena paused, cocked her head to the side as if she was listening to something. Then she nodded and turned towards me. "You human must protect Ellaene. You must bring her to her destiny. To help you, I bestow a gift from the Divine Ones." With a wave of her hand, a sheathed sword appeared next to me. "It will answer only to you. I wish you both safety." With that, Aliena vanished in blinding blue lights.

"WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?"

It felt good to yell. I was confused as hell and could no longer contain my frustration, confusion and fear. Of course, my yelling caused Ellaene to cringe and scamper backwards.

"It was proof of what I told you. You're in Everlee, a land of magic. Human's do not live here. Alicena is a fairy and I am, as she called me, a witch. I sensed you would not believe anything I said, so I called for Alicena for healing and as proof of where you are." Ellaene held my gaze, daring me to try and contradict anything that I saw and heard. Trouble was, I couldn't. Unless I was in a coma, all my senses were telling me that I was in my own version of Oz.

"I'm sorry for yelling. This is just too much to take in and I'm overwhelmed."

Ellaene's eyes softened and she smiled. "I understand, Edward. To be honest, I'm overwhelmed as well. Alicena's words were unexpected and I don't know what they mean." With a sigh, she shook her head. "We can worry about that later, now I want to get you up and moving. Aliena's is a great healer, but she sometimes forgets to help with strength and energy."

She held her hand out to me and together we got me standing. It felt weird to be standing after to long. As I stretched my legs, Ellaene told me about the vegetation nearby. The trees I had noticed before were called teena tree and with a series of taps on the very smooth trunk, Ellaene managed to get a few of the fruits to fall. With a smile and a nod of encouragement from Ellaene, I bit into the fruit. It was juicy, with the taste similar to melon with a little acidic bite like orange. I ended up having three of them they were so good.

Back at the fire, Ellaene looked contemplative. She was absentmindedly throwing sticks and dried leaves into the fire.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I ask her.

"What's a penny?" she questioned.

I opened my mouth to explain but decided to goa different route. "It's a human expression. I was asking you what you're thinking about?"

"Aliena's words."

"I'm not sure I understand what she meant. I know we don't know each other well, but if you want to talk to me, I'm willing to listen. You've done so much for me, it's the least that I can do for you." Not sure what prompted me to do what I did next, but it felt right. I reached for hand and threaded mine with hers. An intense tingling sensation from our hands made me gasp and I heard Ellaene do the same. I squeezed her hand and she replied the same. That was how we stayed as she told me her tale.

 **A/N: I know.. I know.. a bit of a cliffie... but hey.. we have Alice.. I mean Alicena as a real fairy and Ellaene is a witch! Leave me some love!**

 **WVG**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Let's check in with these crazy kids...**

 **ENJOY!**

"Like I said, I'm a witch, but not a very good one. My parents are very powerful witches, known throughout Everlee. As their daughter it was assumed that I would be just as powerful." Ellaene sighs and hunches over. It was clear to me that she didn't fear being struck like I previous thought, but that she carried the weight of her parent's disappointment in her. "Soon I'll be twenty seasons, the point in which if I'm destined to be a great witch, the Divine Ones would bestow upon me my full witches power. In order to be worthy of such a gift, I must undergo _Iter Virtus_ to prove that I'm ready. That is why I'm in these woods, to display my strength and courage."

Without breaking contact, she turned to face me. Her grey blue eyes were serious, as if what she was going to say next was of grave importance. "It's important to me that I complete my journey. I do not wish to let my parents down. They have worked so hard to teach me what meager powers I do possess. I must receive my destiny from the Divine Ones."

I nodded to let her know that I understood. I was all too familiar with the drive to prove that your life meant something, to make someone proud of you. "What did Alicena mean that our destinies were intertwined?"

Ellaene shook her head. "That I do not know. But she was clear that I should bring you to the Guardians. It is our custom."

"What is a Guardian?"

"They are the protectors of the portals between our world and the human world. Humans only find our world when they are in danger. Like you, they are usually injured. As per our code of honor, we heal them and bring them to the Guardians to send them back to their world."

My gut clenched painfully at her words, but it didn't make sense why. Not wanting to focus on going back home just yet, I pushed my reservations aside and turned my focus back to Ellaene. She was rubbing her thumb along the back of my hand, it was comforting and soothing. It had been too long since I felt such tender touch.

"When will you bring me to the Guardian's?"

Her thumb stopped moving and she looked away. "We should rest here for one more night, then when the sun rises we will head out." With that she let go of my hand completely and I immediately missed her touch and warmth. "Are you still hungry? There are vulpes that I can hunt for meat that will satisfy you till morning."

"I'm fine."

With that she began to lay a few blankets by the fire she replenished, crawled underneath them and never said another word to me till morning.

I woke to the sun on my face and tantalizing aromas. Wiping the sleep from my eyes, I discovered Ellaene cooking something that smelled so good it made my stomach rumble. "Whatever that is, I hope it tastes as good as it smells." I gave a wide smile to her.

To my pleasure, she returned it. "I may not be the best witch, but I can make tasty meals." I watched as she deftly served up breakfast. She took a thin branch that has been partly in the fire and used it like a skewer. When she handed it to me, I had no idea what was on there, but from the noises my stomach was making, it didn't care, it just wanted food.

The first thing on the skewer looked like a fried veggie of some sort. I bit into it and I was surprised by the sweetness of it. I gobbled up a few more of them before I came to something that looked like chicken. Figuring it was better not knowing what I was going to eat, I popped it into my mouth. I moaned as the meat melted in my mouth. In a few more minutes I had finished everything on the skewer.

I looked up toward Ellaene who was watching me with an amused tilt to her lips. "Is the food pleasing to you?"

"Yes, very. Is there any more?" Ellaene nods and holds her hand out for my skewer. Eagerly I hand it to her and watch as she heaped on more food than it had before.

"Thank you, this is very good."

"It's one of my favorite foods to eat."

I smiled. "I think its one of mine as well." Ellaene laughed which filled my body with giddiness. I wanted to hear her laugh again.

After we ate, we worked together to snuff out the fire and pack up our campsite. We bickered a little about my wanting to help carry some of the supplies. In the end I won and Ellaene made a nifty little carrying handle out of some vines that grew nearby.

"Don't forget your sword. Alicena said it would be important to you." Ellaene handed it to me and I slipped the strap over my head so it laid cross-wise over my back.

"Do you know what she meant by that?" Ellaene shook her head.

"No, but fairies do not give gifts easily, so it must be important." I nodded and followed her as we started walking.

"How far is the place where we'll find the Guardians?"

"They live in Latens Hill. It could take us several moons to get there." I had figured by now that moons were her way of saying days. I nodded at her explanation and we walked in silence.

The silence didn't last long as Ellaene began to describe things her world. At times the sights were too fantastical to be real, but they were, in amazing living color. I saw trees similar to pine trees that smelled like lilacs. There were thick bushes that held berries that tasted incredibly like buttered popcorn. Ellaene laughed at me when I filled my pockets with bunches of them.

As we walked she talked about her parents, Aro and Pecia. They were highly regarded due to their powers. Both were from a long line of powerful witches. There was a fondness in her voice as she told me stories of learning from them. It was obvious that she loved them and wanted to make them proud.

"Your parents sound wonderful. You're lucky to have them in your life."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ellaene regard me thoughtfully. "I thought humans also have parents. Do you not?"

I nodded slowly. "Yes, humans have parents, I just never knew mine."

"What happened to them?"

"My mom died shortly after I was born. She was sick and never got better. I was raised by her mother, I called her Granny Rose. I never knew who my father was. Granny said he was a thief."

"A thief?"

"That's someone who takes things that don't belong to them."

"Ahh." There was a long pause. "Why would someone do that? Do they not know that it's wrong?"

I chuckled at Ellaene's innocence. "They know, just don't care."

"What a sad place to live," she mused.

"You got that right."

Silence settled over us once again, and this time I welcomed it. I missed my Granny. She worked hard to raise me, and I admired her strength and spirit. It was devastating when she was diagnosed with cancer. Together we fought hard, doing anything and everything we could. In the end, the cancer won. The day I buried her, was the worst of my life. I sold everything and got the hell out of town. It was too hard being reminded of Granny everywhere I went.

"Edward?"

Ellaene's concerned voice broke my morbid train of thought.

"Yeah?"

"You ill? You didn't response when I called your name."

I patted her arm. "I'm fine, just thinking." She smiled at me.

"Do you want to hunt vulpes with me? They're good for long journeys."

"I'd love to!" We quickly set up camp near a grove of trees as Ellaene described an animal sounded like a fox. She studied the area looking for signs of the animal. When she found what she was looking for, she motioned me to follow her.

"Vulpes love to burrow under dead leaves. So look for big piles of leaves." We walked around for a bit when Ellaene halted and motioned to a huge pile of leaves that would move occasionally. Ellaene picked up a rock from the ground handed to me while she pulled a wicked looking spear from a holder under her many shirts. "Go around and when I tell you, throw the stone and they'll come out toward me."

I nodded even though I felt uneasy letting her do the hunting. It wounded some deep primal male instinct in me. Yet, all caveman tendencies aside, this wasn't my world and getting killed after all the time Ellaene spent healing me didn't seem appropriate. When I was in place, she hid so that most of her body was hidden but she still had line of sight.

She nodded, and I threw the stone to the back of the pile of leaves. Almost immediately several vulpes came bolting out of the pile and like Ellaene predicted, they came charging in her direction. Lightning fast Ellaene thrust her spear at two of the creatures.

"Wow, that was fast."

Ellaene shrugged. "We do not believe in letting any creature suffer, even if we are killing them for food. They deserve to die quickly and with honor." In that moment I envied Ellaene. There was such a high moral standard for how to act and it was refreshing.

Less than twenty minutes later there was a fire going and both animals were being roasted over it. I had found more of the popcorn berries and I was amusing Ellaene by having her try and throw them into my mouth. Vulpes smelled and tasted like steak, so while I was eating it, I tried not to picture it as the small furry creature it used to be.

 **A/N: Aww... both so similar in their stories... Do you want to go hunting vulpes with Edward? Leave me some love!**

 **WVG**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Ok.. one more for the night.. then I'll finish posting tomorrow! Let's see what happening!**

 **ENJOY!**

"So, can I ask a weird question?" I had been pondering something for most of the day. Ellaene nodded. "What other beings live in Everlee? I mean, are their vampires?"

Ellaene regarded me thoughtfully. "What are vampires?"

"Beings that drink the blood of other beings."

"Yes, we have vampires, but we call them lamians. They have been banished to a remote part of Everlee and we're forbidden to even go near their land."

As we rested by the fire after our meal I continued my questioning. I discovered they had trolls, but they mostly inhabited an area deep inside a remote forest. Ellaene described them as lazy creatures. There were sprites for all four elements, muses and magi who kept all magical knowledge, creatures that sounded like angels as well a pack of human shifters.

"Their preferred shape is wolves, but elder shifters have the ability to transform into others. We will have to pass close to their territory to get to the Guardians."

We fell into a routine over the next few days and I grew to admire Ellaene even more. She was witty and kind, she was gentle but underneath lay fierceness she didn't hesitate to display. There was a growing part of me that didn't want to leave her. At night I would entertain wild notions of staying with Ellaene. Everlee had a very strong notion of right and wrong that appealed to me. Or maybe my desire to escape the pain of Granny's death was pushing me to my limits. Whatever the reason, I acknowledged there was a part of me that didn't want to go home.

On our fourth day, things got interesting. We were washing up in a river we came across when Ellaene went still and tense. Her eyes were glued to a fixed point in the distance. I scanned the area she was staring at, but I couldn't see what had her so still.

"Susfera," she whispered. Suddenly her stillness made sense. We had come across susfera droppings and Ellaene took the time to tell me about them. They were vicious wild pigs that wouldn't hesitate to go after Ellaene and I. She stressed that they were to be avoid at all costs.

I crouched near her and placed what I hoped was a comforting hand on her back. For a brief moment, it felt as if she relaxed into it, but it was such a fleeting moment, I could've imagined it. I had no more time to think on it as Ellaene had her spear in her hand. In that instance, the sword at my back vibrated and with stark clarity, I knew what I had to do. I pulled it up and out of its sheath just as two things happened simultaneously: Ellaene screamed and two susfera came charging at us.

Acting on an instinct I never knew I possessed, I rolled to my right, swiped the sword through a susfera that had barreled down on me with unhuman speed. Frantically I looked for Ellaene, hoping that the other susfera hadn't found her. What I did find, would be engraved in my memory the rest of my life. A susfera was facing off against a huge stormy grey wolf, but there was no Ellaene to be found. I refused to let either animal out of my sight as I crept closer to the susfera. Out of the two animals, I knew the susfera was the worst. I'd take care of it and then worry about the wolf.

The wolf growled and snapped at the susfera creeping in such a way that, if I had to guess, looked as if it was pushing it towards me. I stayed where I was, watching with morbid fascination as the wolf pushed the susfera closer and closer to me. When there was less than ten feet between me and the susfera, the wolf lunged causing the susfera to turn around and head straight toward me where I threw the sword directly into its head. The susfera dropped to the ground just as I caught the wolf out of the corner of my eye. Looking up, I watched as the wolf fell to the ground and began to writhe and whimper. A flash of white light blinded me and when I could see again, there on the ground laid a very still Ellaene.

"Oh no no no!" I screamed. The thought of losing someone else was too much to bear. Not caring that moments before Ellaene was a wolf, I scooped her into my arms and brought her back to our campsite. I swaddled her in blankets as she had begun to shiver and held her close to me by the fire.

For hours I held her close rocking her back and forth. Unable to take the silence and desperately wanting to hear her voice, I talked to her. I poured my heart out about Granny, about hating the restless feeling my life had become and how much Ellaene had come to mean to me. I begged and pleaded my God, her Divine Ones and everything in between to make her wake up.

I was contemplating screaming for Alicena when Ellaene eyes began to flutter.

"That's it, baby. Please wake up. Come on, open those beautiful eyes."

When I finally saw her gorgeous eyes, I hugged her close. "You're awake!"

"What happened?"

"Don't you remember? I think you turned into a wolf, but I have no clue how or why."

Ellaene's face scrunched in confusion. "That was real?" I nodded and then told her what I had seen.

"I turned into a wolf?" That one question held so much surprise with a healthy amount of awe.

"You did and you scared the shit out of me. Please don't ever do that again."

Later that night as we relaxed after eating, Ellaene was unusually quiet. I figured she was still reeling from what happened, I knew I was. This was the first big magical think I witness since Alicena healed me and that was all a bit fuzzy to me. But the memory of Ellaene going from wolf to woman was burned into my brain.

Unable to take the silence, I scooted closer to Ellaene. "Talk to me, okay. What are you thinking?"

"For as long as I can remember I've had dreams where I would become a wolf. They were vivid and at times felt so real that I would swear it had happened. My mom would laugh at me and tell me it was just a dream." She closed her eyes and leaned against me. The weight of her body felt so right that I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. "Normally for witches in Everlee their rite to prove their worth to receive their powers happens in front of coven elders. They create tasks and tests one must endure before the Divine Ones bestow their gifts upon them. Two nights before my rite, the Divine Ones spoke to me in a dream, telling me that I needed to go to Forest Veritas to prove that I was worthy. I left the very morning. I never told my parents where I went." Ellaene shifted so she could look at me. "Edward, I remember every second as a wolf and for the first time I felt right. I have no idea what the means and it scares me."

I pulled her back into my arms. "Whatever it means, we'll face it together." With a surety that I couldn't deny, I tilted her chin and kissed her softly on the lips. When I pulled back, she smiled up at me.

"That felt right, too."

 **A/N: Well.. how many saw that coming? *giggles* Leave me some love!**

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	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you all for your kind words! If you havent checked out the other FAGE stories please check out the C2:**

fanfiction DOT net / community / FAGE-Reborn/113100

 **ENJOY!**

The next day dawned brightly, the sun felt good on my skin and there was a little pep in my step. The kiss we shared replayed over and over in my mind as we walked. It was the first spontaneous thing I had done in a while and I couldn't wait to do it again. It was mid-morning when my good mood went south. I was in a thicket of bushes taking a piss when Ellaene cried out. I ran toward her only to find her convulsing on the forest floor. Her arms and legs looked misshapen and deformed, fur began to erupt all over and her face contorted to resemble a wolf. When the transformation was done, Ellaene let out such a mournful cry, my heart broke for her.

When she trotted over to me, I bent down to run my hands through her fur. It was thick, soft and the exact color of her eyes. She nuzzled me as I stroked her fur. "You're beautiful, Ellaene." She licked my face and I pushed her away. "Now that's gross. Why don't you give those new legs a workout. Go be a wolf."

I watched as she ran, she was amazing. It was if she was born to be a wolf. She darted in and out of bushes, made hairpin turns around trees and even gave playful chase to some small animals. When she came back to me, I swear she was smiling, her tongue was hanging out, lolling to one side. I scratched behind the ears and her eyes closed as she nuzzled me. "If you start shaking your leg, I'm stopping."

She cocked open one eye and gave me an incredulous look. I laughed at her. "It's a human thing. Forget about it. Do you think you can turn back into a person?" She shook her head. "No worries. Let me grab our stuff and we can continue. Just remember that I can't move as fast you." Ellaene let out a little chuff and once I had our supplies, she began to lead the way.

By nightfall, Ellaene was still a wolf and I was growing worried. But I was the only one. Ellaene acted as if she didn't have a care in the world. She would run ahead to scout for danger and then come back to me to make sure I was ok. When it came time to eat, she would hunt and bring it back to me. It was all a little weird and surreal. When I finally succumbed to sleep that night, Ellaene was curled up next to me her fur keeping me nice and warm.

Early next morning, I was woken up again by the sound of howls and then Ellaene's cries. When I finally spotted her, she was at the end of her transformation, panting for air. I ran a blanket over to her, covering up her naked body.

"You're back and you didn't pass out this time." I helped her up and got her over to the fire where she could warm up. I tried to give her food and water, but she refused. Instead she was busily trying to get dressed as well as pack up camp.

"Wait, wait! What's the rush? I think you need to rest, Ellaene."

Her dark hair swung with her head. "No, I can't rest. I… we need to go!"

She tried to dart past me and my arms reached out and brought her close to me. I spun her so that we were face to face. "Slow down for just a moment and tell me what's going on. Please," I implored her.

She took a deep breath and nodded. "I had a dream last night; the Divine Ones had a message for me. I was to go to Pruina Mountain as that was where the Custos Pack lived. They said what I seek is there."

Ellaene looked up at me, tears swam in her eyes, making them bluer than they had ever been. "I know I should be taking you to the Guardian's, but, I need to go where the Divine Ones tell me. I can feel it, Edward. I'm sorry but going home will have to wait. I hope you understand."

I wiped the few stray tears that had fallen and kissed her nose. "I get it, Ellaene. To be honest, I don't want to go home. There's nothing there but pain and heartache. Here is where I belong, with you. That I can feel."

Ellaene smiled so widely, her whole face lit up. "The Divine Ones said that what you were seeking was where I was going but that it had to be your choice. Come, let's go." So together we worked to pack up our belongings and changed course slightly.

"What or who are the Custos Pack?" I asked Ellaene once we got going,

"They are the group of shifters that I told you about. They are the oldest group on Everlee and the largest. They live on Pruina Mountain and are seen as the protectors of Everlee. It was one of their guards that saw you fall from the sky and sent a message for someone to check to see if you needed assistance. Their alpha is a man named Carlisle and his mate is Esme. The Divine Ones said they held answers to unspoken questions in my heart."

"What are those questions?"

Ellaene stopped and turned to face me. "I do not know."

"Then I guess we better keep going." She nodded and we continued in silence. A few hours later we were taking a breather and I was munching on some of the popcorn berries. "How far is the Mountain?"

"We're on it. I'm not sure where the pack nests, but I feel as if the path that I see up ahead is where we need to go. There are plenty of wolf tracks."

"Let's go and maybe we can get there before nightfall."

Half way up and Ellaene went still. Her face turned in multiple directions as if she was scenting the air. "Susfera," she whispered. I pulled my sword out just as I heard their annoying snorting and growling. "There are many of them." Her voice was heavy with worry.

In seconds we were surrounded by at least four or five of them. Ellaene and I swung at them, trying to be aggressive in the hopes it would scare them away. It didn't worked and what happened next was nothing that a giant blur.

One leapt at me and I swung at it, I missed but its back hoof clipped me and I went down. Ellaene screamed my name, then cried out in pain. I couldn't see her as I was dealing with a susfera. I rolled and dodged it until I was finally able to gain a clear shot and ran my sword through. My elation in my kill last mere seconds as I was knocked down by another and my sword went sliding out of my hands. That left me kicking and punching the one that clamped down on my arm.

"Get off me you ugly fucker!" My free hand found a branch that I swung with all my might to hit the susfera on the head. It squealed and it was enough for me to yank my arm free. Franticly I searched for my sword which I spotted several feet away. I dove for it as the susfera dove for me. I managed to get my hands on the sword as Ellaene, now in her wolf form, collided midair with the susfera.

I couldn't watch Ellaene fight as another stinky beast came barreling toward me. This one was a bit smarter than other susfera I've encountered. It moved faster and with more precision. Having enough of the dicking around, I charged after it. Which was stupid, as I fell to the hard forest floor and the susfera was on me in seconds. I literally wrestled that hairy pig and for a moment it felt as if I was losing. It managed to land several bites which stung like hell and all I managed to was beat it with a stick I found.

I had no idea how long I had been dealing with the susfera, but someone how I managed to kick it with both legs which launched it far enough that I could grab my sword and without thinking I threw it. It flew with a precision that could only be described as magical to land right between the eyes. I let out a little cheer as it dropped dead. My exhilaration lasted only seconds as I spotted Ellaene trying to fend off two susfera. Her fur was matted with blood and dirt and she was limping.

Rage, pure and white hot, coursed through my body. There was no way these stupid creatures were going to hurt Ellaene. With a roar I charged after them, swinging the sword with an unholy fury. In seconds the two susfera attacking Ellaene lay is bloody pieces. I gave them no further thought as I stumbled toward a too still Ellaene.

Several wounds were oozing blood, covering her glossy fur. Scanning the area I spotted our packs and I raced over to them pulling out one of the blankets. As gentle as I could, I laid Ellaene on it and wrapped her up so all that cold be seen was her head. She let out little whimpers of pain and I cringed with each one.

"I got you, baby. Hold tight. I'm gonna bring you to the pack. Just stay alive, Ellaene."

 **A/N: Aww... poor Ellaene... more coming soon! Please leave me some love!**

 **WVG**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry- what I posted was all garbled.. let's hope this works better...**

 **ENJOY!**

Holding the bundle like a baby, I started on the path Ellaene had showed me earlier and sent a fervent prayer up to the Divine Ones for their help and guidance. As I walked I kept a steady conversation with Ellaene. I had no idea if she could hear me or if she was even conscious. I didn't like the idea of her feeling like she was all alone.

The sun was getting low in the sky and my pace was slow. Add in the slight incline and less than smooth terrain and I felt as if I was barely moving. Several times I had to stop to let my arms rest and catch my breath. A wolf was a lot heavier to carry than I thought, but Ellaene was worth it. It was with thought in my mind that I picked her back up and trudged onward.

I crested a small hill that felt more like Mount Kilimanjaro when I came into a large clearing. There were scattered small fires. I wondered if I had found the outer limits of the pack's territories. "I think I found the pack, Ellaene," I whispered into her ear. "Can you hold on a little longer?" Ellaene twitched minutely and I prayed she had heard me.

I made it past the clearing with the fires and stumbled up on a very worn path. There were several that diverged off the main path. Figuring that the main path was the safest bet, I followed it. Less than half a mile, two wolves and two men walked out from a thicket of trees.

"Stop right there," ordered one of the men. I followed his command.

"I need your help. I have an injured wolf shifter. She is badly hurt. Please help her."

The man who spoke nodded to the other and he along with one of the wolves came over to where I had laid Ellaene down. "She only just shifted for the first time a few days ago. She was coming here to seek answers when we were attacked by susfera."

Wordlessly, the man opened the blanket and gasped when he saw Ellaene. "We need to bring her and this human to Carlisle." He looked at me. "You look exhausted, I'll carry her. I promise she and you will not be harmed." Knowing that Ellaene would've trusted them, I nodded and watched as he picked Ellaene with reverence. "Follow me."

I was amazed at how quickly he moved with Ellaene in his arms, as if she weighed nothing. Ten minutes later and a few less traveled paths, we arrived in a huge field. Log cabins dotted the landscape. Children and adults roamed freely. Wolves of all shapes and sizes walked among the people. Sometimes they would stop next to a person who would talk to them. The two men and wolves headed toward the largest of the cabins, set to the back of the encampment.

I paid no attention to the other people and wolves, my focus stayed on the person who was holding Ellaene. The other man opened the door to the large cabin and yelled, "Carlisle!" To a small kid who was playing on the floor, he barked an order. "Go get Doc Em. NOW!" The kid nodded and bolted out the door. Carlisle burst through a different door followed by a woman.

"What's going on, Mike?"

"I found this human carrying this wolf at the crossroads. He said that she was a recent new shifter and was coming here to talk to you when they were attacked by susfera. You need to see the wolf, Carlisle."

Carlisle walked over to where I was crouched near Ellaene. Warily I watched Carlisle's face, trying in vain to figure out exactly what was going on. If I had to fight each and everyone of them, I would if they dared harm one hair on Ellaene. Carlisle knelt down by see, seeing my protective stance, he placed a soft hand on my shoulder. "You will not be harmed, human." I nodded but didn't not alter my position.

Gently Carlisle moved the blanket to see Ellaene better. Like the others, when he saw her, he gasped. "It can't be," he whispered. Looking up at me he asked her name.

"Ellaene."

Carlisle didn't reply as the front door of the cabin burst open with small kid from before and huge hulking of a man. "I heard I was needed, Carlisle. What's going on."

"There's an injured female wolf. Was attacked by susfera. Where would you like to work, Em?"

"Bring her into the living room. Susfera wounds need to be cleaned out so they don't get infected." Without asking, Carlisle scooped Ellaene and brought into the living room, laying her down near the fire. Like all others before him, Em gasped when he saw Ellaene. It was starting to grate on my nerves that no one was telling me what was so fucking surprising. "Is it? Could it be?" Em asked Carlisle.

"I don't know. I'm going to talk to the human while you work on her, Mike will assist you with anything you need. Follow me, human." Without looking at me, Carlisle left the room. I froze, uncertain where I should be. Em touched my leg bringing my attention down to where he was kneeling on the floor.

"She'll be fine, I promise. She is among friends, human. Go talk to the Alpha." Sensing no deception, I gave him a terse nod and went through the door Carlisle had disappeared into.

The room turned out to be a kitchen and the heady aroma of coffee made my mouth water. Carlisle was sitting at a center island while the woman I had seen before was pouring coffee.

"Would you like some?" She smiled and it put me at ease.

"Please and thank you ma'am." I sat down across from Carlisle. We were silent until the woman came over with a tray of three steaming cups of coffee. She served me, then Carlisle before placing a cup before her.

"I'm sure you're confused about what's going on," began Carlisle. I bobbed my head as I sipped on the warm liquid. "To be honest, I'm just as confused. Before I ask you a few questions, let me assure you once more that you're safe and will come to no harm. I'm Carlisle Cullen, Alpha of the Custos Pack. This is my mate and alpha female, Esme. May ask your name?"

"I'm Edward." I held my hand out and Carlisle shook it.

"Can you tell me what you know about the wolf? How did you come to be with her?"

Sending up a prayer that trusting them was the right thing, I told them my tale; the plane crash, Ellanee helping me out, healing by Alicena, and our travels to the Guardians. They were quiet, asking only a few questions. I explained what happened when Ellaene first shifted and how many other times she has.

"She told you her name was Ellaene," asked Esme.

"Yes, the first time I met her." They went quiet, both lost in thought until Esme grabbed her husband's arm.

"Dear, it could be her! Think of how old she was when she went missing. Ellaene could really mean Bella bean, especially if she was injured. After all this time, it could be her. I'm going to check on her." Esme left leaving me with Carlisle.

"Care to explain?"

"Twelve years ago, my enforcer, Charlie and his family went on a trip. Their daughter, Bella, had just gone through her first shift. It's a momentous occasion, one that is anticipated and celebrated. His daughter wanted to go camping to celebrate. With my blessing they left, they never came back. When we went to search for them, we found two bodies, Charlie and his wife Renee. Bella was never found. By the amount of blood we assumed that all three of them were killed. I believe that the girl you call Ellaene is really Bella. Her father gave her the nickname of Bella bean as she was such a skinny child."

"Why do you think Ellaene is her?"

"I saw Bella's first change, and her fur was the same color as Ellaene's. Normally a wolf's fur matches their hair, with Bella it matched…"

"…her eyes," I finished. Carlisle nodded.

"Tell me, Edward, are Ellaene's eyes grey-blue?"

I could only nod. "Is that uncommon."

This time Carlisle nooded. "Bella's were the same color. They were like that as Renee sought help conceiving from a fairy. The magic affected Bella's eye color."

"Well that's quiet the twist." I sat back in my chair.

Carlisle chuckled. "I would have to agree." He finished his coffee. "Let's go check on her."

 **A/N: We have answers! I would love to hear your thoughts!**

 **WVG**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: A wee little update! ENJOY!**

Together we walked back into the living room to see Em wiping his hands on a rag. "What's the verdict, Em?"

"She'll recover. It may take a few days as she suffered several deep cuts. I cleaned them out and gave her a shot of antibiotic. I left one more for Esme to give her in the morning."

"When will she shift back?" I asked.

"That's harder to say. If she just recently shifted, she may not until she has more strength. Feel free to move to the guest room, she'll be more comfortable."

"Thank you, Em. Let me walk you out." I paid them no attention, I rushed over to Ellaene's side. Em has washed her fur from all the blood. Fabric bandages were around the worst of the wounds. I was pleased to see they were lightly spotted with blood.

"Did you want to help me move her?" Esme was once more smiling at me. "The bedroom is just off this room." I picked her up and followed Esme. The covers were removed and I set her down in the middle of the bed. "It may be several hours before she wakes. Do you want a shower and some food? There's a bathroom as part of this room and I can bring you something to eat."

Just then my stomach growled. "That would be wonderful, thank you Esme."

Se waved her hand. "It's no problem. You go shower, towels and toiletries are in the cupboards and I bring you come clothes and a few sandwiches."

Twenty minutes later I felt clean and very human. There was a platter of sandwiches on the dresser and Esme was bringing in a few cans of pop and a bag of chips. The food called to me and I took several huge bites as I watched Esme check on Ellaene. Esme opened a can of pop after turning away from Ellaene.

"Thank you! The sandwiches are delicious. It feels good to taste something familiar." Then it hit me, I _was_ eating human food. "Um, Esme, how do you have human food?"

"Not all wolves are born." With statement hanging in the air, she winked at me. "I'll check on you guys later." With that she was gone and I was left pondering her words.

 **A/N: Ohh.. gotta love Esme! Would love to hear from you!**

 **WVG**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Answers await you all! I want to say thank you for all the reviews. I know there are errors and I hope to polish this up soon, so please bear with me! Someone asked about Edward's bites.. susfera are only dangerous to wolves.. for humans its like a dog bite. Since Ellaene was in her wolf form when bitten, she was at a great risk.**

 **ENJOY!**

 **A week later**

The formal dining room was filled with people, I sat next to an anxious looking Ellaene. She had been both dreading and looking forward to this day ever since she had heard the truth about her family. She had woken up the next day, surprising us all with her recovery. It took me a while to calm her down and then several hours for Carlisle to help her purposefully shift back.

Then I sat with Ellaene as Carlisle told her who he suspected she was. He showed her pictures of Charlie and Renee and a few of a little girl who was the spitting image of Ellaene. She was shocked, surprised and even a little angry to discover that her life may had been one huge lie. Asking for time, Carlisle left and we spent the remainder of the day and all night secluded in the guest room.

In those twenty-four hours, we grew closer. I held her as she cried and screamed at everything she had been through. She was coming to accept that Aro and Pecia were not her real parents. Which then led to sadness over parents she didn't remember and were no longer around. Through it all, I reminded her that she was strong and that maybe this was the Divine Ones way of saying she gets to pick her path. No longer did she need to abide by someone else choice for her life. She was free to choose her own destiny.

Esme was the first to help Ellaene break the funk she was in. She had come under the guise of bringing food and when she came back to gather the dishes, she asked if Ellaene wanted to go running with the other females of the pack. Ellaene quickly agreed. Together Esme helped her shift and they were off.

That kicked off Ellaene immersing into how to be a wolf. The whole pack worked with her on being able to shift at will. Esme took her to see where Charlie and Esme lived. Their cabin had been closed off since their bodies were found, Carlisle had been unable to let another family live there. Carlisle took her to see the memorial to Charlie, Renee, and Bella. She never spoke of what happened there, but ever since that day she had asked us to call her Bella. That declaration was met with cheers from the pack and smiles from the alpha.

Now, we were sitting at the table, waiting for Aro and Pecia to arrive. They had been sent a message via wolf courier asking for a meeting. Bella needed to hear from them how she came to live with them and to get the final confirmation that she was the long-lost child of Charlie and Renee.

When they finally walked through the door, tension hung thickly in the air. Bella tensed beside me and reached for my hand as they sat down across from us. The wolves that were in the room openly sneered at Aro and his wife. A sharp look from Esme and their expressions were wiped neutral. When they spotted Bella, Pecia reached across the table for Bella's hand. Tears fell from her eyes. When Bella squeezed her hand, she began to openly sob.

"Thank you for coming Aro and Pecia. I'm certain that you know what this is about, so I'll get right to the point. Bella, or as you call her, Ellaene, came to us a week ago, brought by the human, Edward. Bella was in wolf form and seriously injured. I have very good reason to believe that Bella is the long-lost child of my enforcer and dear friend Charlie and his wife Renee."

Pecia wasn't looking at Carlisle, her head was buried in the crook of Aro's arm. Aro sat stoney faced, he wasn't defiant or angry, more like trying to save face in a situation in which he knew the score. He was on the verge of losing something and all he had left was his pride.

"I ask you here to ask you to tell us what you know." I had to admire Carlisle. He laid out the facts in a very succinct manner but also managed to let it be known he was expecting Aro to come clean and admit Bella wasn't his daughter.

Aro's shoulders slumped and he clutched his wife's hand. "We found Bella in the woods. We were foraging for herbs and found her under a pile of leaves. She was injured. Nearby it was a bloody mess of fur and bones. At that time, we had no idea that Bella was a wolf or that the fur we saw belonged to her parents."

As he confirmed that they weren't her parents, Bella sagged against me.

"Pecia and I had been trying to have a baby, but we were unsuccessful. Not knowing who she was or where her parents were, Pecia begged me to take her back to our home and we did. It was a few days later as she was recovering from her injuries that we realized she was a shifter. We found her in her wolf form when she was amid a high heat. By this time, Pecia and I were already attached to the child. We made the choice not to inquire with the packs if there was a missing child. Together we placed a bind on her wolf form, and a memory block and we raised her as a witch child."

With the bulk of his confession done, Aro looked down, tears dripped onto the table. When he raised his eyes, they were filled with anguish and love, and he turned them toward Bella. "We love you, Bella as if you came from us. We were convinced you were a blessing from the Divine Ones. Yet, we knew that this day would come. As your rite came closer, we knew we should say something, but we were so deep in the lie we feared we'd lose you forever. We never meant to hurt you, dear child."

Unable to take her adoptive parents pain, she got up from her chair and raced to the other side of the table. The three of them collapsed in a pile of tears, hugs and whispered apologies. Carlisle motioned for the room to clear of the extra wolves and the rest of us moved to the living room. Ten minutes later and the three of them walked in arm and arm, faces red and blotchy. It was Bella that addressed the room.

"I have forgiven Aro and Pecia, for they only acted out of love. With that said, they understand that this is where I belong. They have removed the memory spell and bind on my wolf form. I ask you Carlisle that they be able to go home and that there will be no reprisals for their actions."

"You didn't need to ask, Bella. It was evident that they love you. It is because they took you in and cared for you that I will place them under pack protection. They are now part of our family." Bella hugged Carlisle. He then addressed Aro and Pecia. "I promise to watch over Bella as if she was my own daughter. She will be cared for and she will be loved."

With that, Pecia threw herself at Carlisle who held her as she cried. He murmured into her ear, rubbing her back to try and soothe her. Eventually, Pecia felt calm enough to pull away and joined her husband's side once more. Unable to delay their leaving any further, they hugged Bella once more and walked out the door.

I hugged Bella as we watched the only parents she knew walk away. I had thought that Bella would be crying, instead, when I looked, she was smiling. "I'm surprised to see you smiling. Not that I mind, I guess I thought you'd be sadder."

Bella turned in my arms and liked her arms behind my head. "What's to be sad about? I'm right where I need to be. I've found my destiny."

 **A/N: Aww... An epi will follow later today! Please, leave your thoughts!**

 **WVG**


	10. Epilogue

**A/N: Here is is... the epi... Again, this is unbeta'd, please forgive my mistakes. See ya at the bottom! ENJOY!**

EPILOGUE

Three Months Later

"You don't have to do this, Edward. Everyone says so." Bella's brow wrinkled with concern. She had a death grip on my hands as if she could hold me to her just by holding my hand.

"We've been over this before, Bella. I know I don't have to do this, but I _want_ to do this. This is where I belong. This is what Alicena meant, this is what the Divine Ones were telling you. This is my new destiny."

As I spoke, tears fell from her stormy eyes. I understood her fear, my choice wasn't without risk. There were huge risks, but Bella had a hard time believing she was worth it. It was hard for her to see that I was giving up nothing and gaining everything.

"I know… you're right. I just worry." She snuggled close to me. I wrapped my arms around her.

"I know, baby and I love that you worry about me. But I want to be with you and this is way I want to do it."

I felt her head nod. Nothing I was saying was new. The only difference was everything we wanted was framed in terms of 'one day'. Now that day had come and Bella was having a hard time letting me go. We stayed curled up in each other, swaying while I rubbed Bella's back. I knew there was nothing I could say to abate her fears. She wouldn't relax until I came out the other side of this whole ordeal.

Our intimate moment was broken by Carlisle coming into the room. "It's time, Edward."

Bella let out a broken sob. "I love you, Edward. I'll be waiting for you."

I kissed her, soft and tender, I poured my love and faith that all would work out. "Love you, too baby." As I followed Carlisle out of the house and into the woods, it was hard not to look back at how far we've both come.

With the bind removed, Bella could shift like every other born wolf, easily and without much effort or thought. Under Esme's tutelage, Bella flourished. In a matter of weeks, it was if Bella had been shifting her whole life. Bella turned out to be an excellent hunter and tracker. So much so that Carlisle was angling to have Bella be one of his enforcers. Esme of course was fighting just as hard to have Bella as her beta and therefore as part of the main hunting group for the pack.

Bella was putting off deciding where she wanted to be in the pack until she felt she had a better grasp on pack dynamics. So, it wasn't odd to see her hanging with a different wolf learning their role and place in the pack. Her work ethic was admired within the pack. Deep down I knew Bella felt she had to prove her place, she couldn't see that she was completely accepted.

As Bella worked with the pack, I was left giving my life some serious contemplation. There were never any new plans to bring me to the Guardians. Everyone was busy helping Bella acclimate to life as a shifter, so I was left on my own. I didn't mind, it gave me a chance to figure out my own destiny.

After Granny Rose died, the last thread to anything in the human world was gone. Granny was my rock in the world. She kept me from being another sad statistic and pushed me to be something other than a hoodlum. But if I had to give it all up to stay with Bella, I would. The only issue was being a human in a world of magic. I wanted to feel as if I was part of this world, not just a permanent visitor. Cue Esme and her little nugget of information that not all wolves were born.

I sought her out about a week after everything went down. In typical Edward fashion, I didn't beat around the bush, I came right out with my questions.

"So, if not all wolves are born that means that they can be bitten, right? So, what does that all involve?"

Esme laughed at my forthrightness. "I told Carlisle it wouldn't take you long to come seek me out. He didn't believe me. He doesn't see the way you and Bella look at each other." She patted a spot on the couch next to her. "Let's talk, Edward."

Esme revealed that she was a bitten wolf, by Carlisle. He was in the human world for supplies and for potential males to turn into wolves. Carlisle understood the importance of broadening the gene pool. He understood to keep the pack strong, there needed to be a variety of males and females to breed born wolves. It was during one of these trips that Carlisle meet and fell in love with Esme. As an alpha, he was destined to mate for life and it turned out that Esme was his fated mate.

"It was love at first sight, Edward. He found me and brought me to his world and I never looked back. When he explained what he was and asked me to be his mate, I never gave the thought of being bitten a second thought." She paused and looked up at the ceiling. Questions swirled about the whole process, but I had been around Esme enough to know she was gathering her thoughts. When she ordered her thoughts, she looked at me. The seriousness in her eyes told me it was time to get to the nitty gritty.

"The choice to be bitten is serious and one not to take lightly. Things do go wrong. It's a long and painful process. If you want this, you'll need to Carlisle to agree as only the bite of an alpha has the power and magic to make a wolf. I would also suggest you talk to Bella. I have a feeling Carlisle won't agree unless Bella agrees."

Esme was right. When I talked to Carlisle about the option he said he wouldn't even entertain the idea until he knew Bella agreed. It took several weeks of talking to Bella, us talking to Carlisle and Esme, the local pack doctor, Em and the other bitten wolves in the pack. When Bella finally agreed, then the process started of arranging the logistics.

That was how I found myself following Carlisle to a one of the most sacred sites of the pack. It was believed to be the spot where the Divine Ones created the first wolf. Their legends held that a person bitten at that site, on a full moon, would be blessed to survive the change. Carlisle explained the full ritual to me and to say I was nervous was an understatement. But as I told everyone I spoke to, I would do it all for Bella.

So, it was with her in mind, that I bathed nude in the near by stream as Carlisle murmured prayers and blessings to the Divine Ones. My body was rubbed with herbs and oils said to help bring out my inner wolf. I was also fed foods to give me strength and courage to survive the transformation. When it was all the prep work was done, Carlisle transformed into his wolf and bite me right over my heart. Pain like I had never felt exploded over my whole body. I screamed out and then darkness beckoned me and I answered.

Everyone said I was out for only four days, but to me it felt like four years. Even in the blackness I could still feel the pain, it was everywhere. I heard bones break and reform, I heard howls that morphed into screams that morphed back into howls. I dreamt I was running as wolf, then I was exploding in a million pieces. I begged for someone to put me out of my misery. I cried out for Granny Rose and then Bella.

When the pain finally receded, and I became aware of my surroundings, I realized how much I could sense even with my eyes closed. Sounds and smells were magnified. I could feel each blade of grass and rock that was beneath me. More than that, I could sense the power that resided in me. There was a restlessness that wanted to break free and so I gave into it.

I opened my eyes and saw everyone was there, but I was looking at them from a lower vantage point. Confused I looked down at the ground and that was when I saw the paw. It took me a few seconds to realize that I was looking at _MY_ paw.

Holy fuck!

Looking back up I spotted Bella and ran over to her, jumping on her and trying to lick her. Her laugh made me bark which made her laugh even more. I jumped and yipped all over the area, Carlisle and Em looked on with amusement. The raw power I felt was heady. I wanted to run, just to see what I could do. Of course, Em had to check me out first. He manipulated my legs and joints, checking that everything was as it should be. When he declared be fit and a full wolf, everyone cheered. I of course barked and for he hell of it, howled because I could.

"You ready to run, Edward?" I looked over at Bella and barked. She laughed in the blink of an eye, she shifted. Carlisle, Em and Esme shifted as well and broke out in a run. I trotted over to Bella and nuzzled her. She returned the gesture and then looked over to where everyone had disappeared. She barked once and then took off. Without hesitation I followed her, ready to start my new place in this world.

 **A/N: There it is... Edward is now a wolf... Thank you to everyone who faved, read, reviewed. I loved reading your thoughts. If you still have questions, let me know.**

 **To Annie- what can I say.. it was soo cool to write this for you. I hope you enjoyed it! I can't wait to hear your thoughts. Also, did ya catch my nod to you? Love you soul sista!**

 **Please leave me some love. Until next time...**

 **WVG**


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